Judge. b. Texas. Attended Fox Tech High School and San Antonio Junior College, A.D. (Data Processing); received B.B.A. (Accounting), University of Texas, Austin, 1972; attended State University of New York, Buffalo in 1st year law school, 1975; J.D., University of Houston Law Center, 1977; LL.M., Taxation, New York University Law School, 1978. Admitted to Texas Bar, 1977. Certified in Tax Law by Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1984; Certified Public Accountant Certificate from Texas, 1976, and California, 1974. Admitted to United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, 1982, and Western District of Texas, 1985, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1982; private practice of tax law, in San Antonio, TX, 1987-April 1995; partner, Leighton, Hood and Vasquez, 1982-87, San Antonio, TX; Trial Attorney, Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, Houston, TX, 1978-82; accountant, Coopers and Lybrand, Los Angeles, CA., 1972-74. Member of American Bar Association, Tax Section; Texas State Bar, Tax and Probate Section; Fellow of Texas and San Antonio Bar Foundations, Mexican American Bar Association (MABA) of San Antonio (Treasurer); Houston MABA; Texas MABA (Treasurer); National Association of Hispanic CPA's; San Antonio Chapter (founding member); College of State Bar of Texas, National Hispanic Bar Association; member of Greater Austin Tax Litigation Association; served on Austin Internal Revenue Service District Director's Practitioner Liaison Committee, 1990-91, chairman, 1991. Appointed by President Clinton as Judge, United States Tax Court, on May 1, 1995, for a term ending April 30, 2010. Reappointed by President Barack Obama on October 13, 2011, for a term ending October 12, 2026.